


Growing A Garden In My Heart

by InfernalRevenge



Category: The Elementalists (Visual Novel)
Genre: Conversation between brothers, F/M, Male Main Character, atlas is awkward but he's trying, atlas thinks his crush in unrequited, he's got it so bad he doesnt even realize it
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-24
Updated: 2021-02-24
Packaged: 2021-03-15 02:20:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,260
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29676906
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InfernalRevenge/pseuds/InfernalRevenge
Summary: Atlas tries to navigate his feelings for Aster, with a little help from the people around him. Now if only he could ask her out on a date.
Relationships: Atlas Ernhardt & Main Character (The Elementalists), Atlas Ernhardt/Aster D'Yew





	Growing A Garden In My Heart

**Author's Note:**

> Atlas' twin helps him deal with new feelings and tries to convince him that having a crush isn't so bad.

Ever since Atlas told Vyrion that he may have had a small-sorta-maybe-kinda-small-I-dunno crush on a certain wood nymph in their friend group, it has been non-stop teasing at every opportunity. It wasn't like he wanted to tell his twin, but he was basically forced to after being annoyed into submission, and did he ever regret giving into his antics.

He and Aster had formed their own little friendship besides the one they had with the other Pend Pals, becoming study buddies and frequently meeting up during the weekends to either catch up on papers, or just catch up with each other. He found himself comfortable in her company, genuinely enjoying the time they spent together -- just the two of them -- and always looked forward to seeing her. Sometimes, they would even text each other, and the Moon-Att just couldn't help but smile with every new message he got from her.

That behavior was exactly what led to his downfall, when Vyrion caught him red-handed and threatened to steal the device to find out if he didn't fess up himself.

Atlas didn't even know when these feelings blossomed, why he started seeing the girl in a different light. He wasn't even sure if it counted as a crush at all. Was it a crush if he was just excited to see her, or happy to be talking to her? He could feel that way with his other friends (sometimes it was still strange to him that he even had friends in the first place) too, right?

But a part of him knew it was different. It wasn't like his heart raced whenever he was around Zeph, or felt like his body was on fire when Griffin would pat him on the back.

He still remembered that one time he and Aster sat next to each other while hanging out with the rest of the crew, her arm pressed against his, and it felt like a continuous explosion of fireworks went off in his body.

It was just a good thing Vyrion can keep a secret. He hadn't even told his girlfriend about it, and he just knew if Shreya did then either she would join in on the torment or everyone else in the school would know. He wasn't sure what was worse, but there was one thing he did know: Aster was not to find out.

And yet his twin was suggesting he do exactly the opposite.

"What do you mean I should tell her?" Atlas gritted, almost yelling until he realized that the walls weren't exactly enchanted for soundproofing.

"Asking her out on a date is not as bad as you think. Besides, you said you've hung out a bunch of times with just the two of you already. It's not gonna be that different," Vyrion explained, much more calmly in comparison. It was almost funny seeing how the tables had turned, with him as the level-headed one and giving advice this time.

The Moon-Att sighed, "My intentions would be different. I've never... courted a girl before. I've never courted anyone before!"

"But surely you've had crushes before. How did you used to deal with them?"

"...I didn't?"

"Didn't have crushes or didn't deal with them?"

"...both?"

"Oh."

"And it's not like I had the time to even think about those kinds of feelings. I wasn't exactly around other people besides my foster parents growing up, remember?" Atlas huffed, falling back onto his bed. He and Vyrion were supposed to be talking about their upcoming plans for the break, not his non-existent love life.

Still, sometimes he didn't even have to think hard about Aster for her to fill his thoughts. The way she just moves so gracefully without effort, the determination in her eyes from convincing her family that not all Attuned were awful to figuring out a difficult problem in class, the absolute joy on her face on their first day of class after finally being allowed to go to school. She just lit up something in him he couldn't explain, a blooming warmth would fill his chest that he had never felt before.

Those happy thoughts didn't last long, however, when he remembered the reality of the situation.

"She probably won't accept anyway. She doesn't feel that way about me," he said with a weary sigh, eyes glued to the blank ceiling.

"You don't know that," Vyrion replied simply, leaning against Atlas' headboard.

"You don't know that either."

"You're not gonna find out if you're just gonna mope about it though."

"I'll mope as much as I want to. This... This'll go away eventually."

The redhead raised an eyebrow, "It might. But if it doesn't, then what?"

Atlas stayed silent, unsure. Was it possible it wouldn't go away? Was it strange to think that maybe he didn't want it to, and he and Aster could just be together? Just thinking about _telling_ her all of this -- that if she even had an _inkling of a notion_ about how she made him feel -- was enough to twist his stomach into nervous knots, it felt like he was going to throw up.

Why did this feel so much more terrifying than fighting shadow monsters?

(Because he had the training to go against them, and the odds of his victory were almost always on his side. This, however, he was not prepared for at all.)

Vyrion nudged Atlas with his socked foot, making the other jerk away in disgust. "Come on, if she doesn't feel the same way, getting rejected won't be the worst thing in the world." The thought of it still stung Atlas, like a thorn pricking at his heart.

Vyrion continued with his thought, "And Aster's a sweet girl -- she'd still love to be friends with you despite it. You'd be okay with that, right?"

"Of course," he replied without even missing a beat.

"And if it does work out, then that'd be great too, wouldn't it?"

This time, a beat of silence passed between them, and Atlas could only shrug. "I... guess." He had to fight back a smile at the idea of it.

"Besides, with good looks and charms like ours, it's a slim chance that Aster hasn't already fallen for you either." The Sun-Att shoved his foot against his twin's arm again, but this time Atlas grabbed his ankle and practically threw his leg off the bed so his foot hit the ground with a sharp thud. "Ow!"

"This isn't funny."

"What, I meant it! And maybe when you do get together with her, we can go on double dates. Won't that be fun?"

"No."

"Wow, rude."

Atlas tucked his hands under his head, huffing a breath out of his nose. He supposed he could consider his twin's words -- he still wasn't sure if it was all that helpful, but it was better than getting nothing out of it. "But... I dunno, thanks anyway, I guess."

Vyrion smiled, "Anytime, twin o' mine! So, are you gonna ask her out?"

Another bout of silence, then a shrug.

"Knowing you, you'll figure it out." Vyrion patted Atlas' arm, the latter noticing a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "Trust me."

As if on cue, the Sun-Att just got a text from Shreya, asking for them to meet. He bid his twin farewell for the meantime, leaving Atlas alone with his thoughts.

Was there something Vyrion knew that he didn't?

.

.

.

(Outside, the Sun-Att replied to his girlfriend's message.

Shreya 🔥❤️: Did you talk to him?

Vyrion ☀️😘: Yeah just give him some time. They'll work it out)


End file.
